Fire extinguisher



y c. A. CAMP 1,815,494

" FIRE EXTINGUISH/ER Filed Aug. 1, 1927 'fi INVENTOR.

(J mm 44$ BY 0 r 45 5: J 7 ATTORNEYS.

patented July 21, 193i UNITED STATES PATNE CEFFEQE CLARENCE A. CAMP, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA FIRE EXTINGUISI-IER Application filed August 1, 1927. Serial No. 209,777.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers cordingly, that of generally improving and andv particularly to a chemical type of exsimplifying the construction and operation tinguisher from which a fire extinguishing of fire extinguishers; to provide a fire exmedium in the form of a dry dust is distinguisher which is capable of projecting a charged by means of a non-combustible fire fire extin uishing chemical in its most con- 55 extinguishing gas. centrated form, to-wit: as a solid in the form Most chemical fire extinguishers, in use of dry dust; and, further, to provide a fire today, employ a fire extinguishing medium extinguisher of this character in which the in the form of a liquid. A container of one dry non-combustible fire extinguishing gas 1'0 shape or another is usually charged or filled may be g nerated to project the dust into the 60 with an alkalinesolution and a bottle conzone of fire. taining an acid together with convenient The invention is illustrated by way of exmeans for breaking the bottle so as to mix ample in the accompanying drawings, in the acid and alkaline solution when required. which- 1-5 The mixing action causes generation of car- F ig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal 65 home acid gas and which gas and liquid is section of the fire extinguisher. accordingly pro ected on the fire. Fig. 2 1s a plan View of the same.

Fire extinguishers of this character have Fig. 3 is a section taken on line IIIIII numerous objections, among which may be of Fig. 1

mentioned unnecessary wetting and destruc- Fig. 4.- is a cross section taken on the line 7o tion of goods adjacent the source of fire; dam- IVIV of Fig. 1. age of goods by smoke created when the liq- Referring to the drawings in detail and aid solution is applied; production of gases particularly Fig. 1, A indicates in general a injurious and dangerous to those fighting the cylindrical shaped elongated container confire; and most important of all may be menstructed of metal or the like, which in this 7 tioned the limited capacity or quantity of instance is divided into two sections, one to fire extinguishing medium that may be form a compartment B which may be filled handled by devices of this character; the with a fire extinguishing medium in the limited efficiency thereof, as the greater bulk form of a dry dust, while the other compartof fire extinguishing material employed is ment, indicated at C, is adapted to be filled so nothing more or less than water, the fire exwith a chemical capable of generating a tinguishing chemicals employed being presnon-combustible fire extinguishing gas. ent only in dissolved form in the water and The container is, in other words, divided into comparatively small amounts are accordingtwo sections which in this instance may be 1y p oy coupled or connected by a screw or thread 85 The extinguisher r ng the S j connection generally indicated at D. Inmattel 9 h Present PP E P employs terposed between the coupling connection fiTeeXlPmgmShmg chemlcal mostacon' D, are a pair of interspaced plates, an upper 40 centrate d form, tow1t: as a fiOllCl 1n the form plate 2 and a lower plate 3. The up Plat? of dry Efliclency 18 t ereby fi fi is perforated in one or more places, as indi- The amoun of chemlcats employed 1s cated at 4 and at a point adjacent a discharge creased. Damage to goods adjacent to the H p 1 (ted at 5. The lower m1 the chemicals do plpe getlerrt y fire Zone 18 eh Rated as plate 3 is perforated in one or more places,

not produce smoke, injurious gases, nor wet 1 t 1 f M the goods and the amount of air capable as {Hammettat v a P0111 P .3 P" 95 of reaching the fire is also reduced as a non- Poslte the f d Porous H1015 b tibl fi ti i hi gas i ture absorbing pad l is disposed between erated and employed to project the dust i to the plates, the pad and plates beingsecured the Zone of fire. in position when the screw coupling 1s made. The object of the present invention is, 210- The particular reason for perforating the we plates 2 and 3, as stated, will hereinafter be described.

The upper portion B of the container may be provided with a handle or the like such as shown at 8, so that it may be grasped and readily handled when in use and discharge pipe is preferably threaded, as at 9, to permit a hose nozzle or the like to be connected therewith. Extending through the lower portion of the container indicated at C, is the shaft or rod 10. This rod projects through a stufiing box 11 so as to prevent leakage and the outer end terminates in the crank arm 12. Suitably secured on the rod substantially centrally of the compartment C, is an eccentric weight 14 and adapted to be placed on opposite sides of the rod at points adjacent the weight 14L- are a plurality of acid bottles and 16.

In actual operation, the container is loaded or charged in the following manner: The coupling connection is unscrewed and the plates 2 and 3, together with the pad 7, are removed. Two or more acid bottles 15 and 16 are placed in the compartment C, as illustrated, and a dry chemical, such as bicarbonate of soda, is packed around the bottles and the compartment is filled substantially to its upper end. The bicarbonate of soda performs two functions, first, that of a packing which secures the acid bottles in place and, secondly, that of combining with the acid when it is liberated so as to form carbon dioxide gas. The section B is next inverted and this is completely or substant-ially filled with bicarbonate of soda in a dry dust-like form. Plate 4, pad 7 and plate 3 are then placed in position and temporarily secured by one or more hook-shaped screws, as indicated. at 17. The container B is then placed on top of the container C and the screw coupling is made and the device so filled or charged is ready for use.

In actual operation, when fire is encoun tered and it is desired to use the extinguisher, it is only necessary to carry it to the Zone of fire and to direct the hose or other means connected with the upper end of the discharge pipe toward the fire. Crank 12 is rotated a half a revolution. This forces the weight or eccentric 14- into forcible engagement with the acid bottles 15 and, as the walls thereof are comparatively thin, they are easily brolen and the acid is liberated. The reaction between the acid and the bicarbonate of soda in which the bottles are packed produces carbon dioxide gas. The gas escapes upwardly through the perform tion 6 in the plate 3, then passes longitudinally through the pad 7 and escapes through the perforations 4 into the upper container B and here creates sufiicient pressure to discharge through the pipe 5 and the hose or nozzle connected therewith, carrying with it dust in such quantities as to completely cover and smother the fire.

It should be noted that the perforations are closely adjacent the lower end of the discharge pipe 5. This is of considerable importance, as it maintains the dust in violent agitation at the point of discharge and thereby prevents packing or clogging of the same. It should also be noted that the pad 7 is preferably constructed of a moisture absorbing material. This is also important, as it is essential that a dry be employed. The liberation of the acid. in the lower compartment produces a more or less wet gas and it is for this reason that the gas is passed into the pad 7 before it is permitted to enter the dust compartment 1) and is discharged therefrom.

During actual operation, if it is found that the velocity'of the discharging gases is dropping and that suflicient quantities of dust are not being projected, it is only necessary to give the crank 12 another half revolution. This brings the weight 14 into forcible engagement with the second set of hottles which are broken and an additional supply of gas is accordingly afij'orded as the capacity of the chamber C is so proportioned that the four bottles and the dust contained will generate a minimum of gas, or at least sufiicicnt gas to completely discharge all of the dust contained in the compartment 15. The benefits derived from the above described apparatus are as follows:

1. No acids or injurious materials can escape from the generating chamber and by the use of non-injurious fire extinguishing material the extinguisher will be noninjurious to materials or human safety. The action of the fire on the extinguishing materials will not generate any gases that are injurious to human safety and nothing will be expelled from the extinguisher that will cause smoke or other damaging material.

2. Byinserting the loose chemicals dry and the acids sealed in glass all the chemicals will be preserved and not deteriorate or lose strength. thereby having an extinguisher that holds its effectiveness.

3. By using a dry fire extinguishing stream it spreads into a cloud and tends to float covering a greater area of fire than can be accomplished with a liquid stream from a small extinguisher.

4. By generating non-combustible gases to carry the dust, oxygen is not thrown into the fire, increasing the efiiciency of the extinguisher.

5. By using dry extinguishing chemicals which under the heat of a fire generate a non-combustible gas which in turn excludes oxygen and smothers the fire, a greater area of fire can be extinguished than by equal weight of liquid fire extinguishing agents making the extinguisher lighter of weight and more practical to use for equal efficiency. 6. By eliminating water the problems of freezing are done away with.

7. The extinguishing stream is not a conductor of electricity nor injurious to mechanical equipment, thereby being more practical around electrical apparatus and less dangerous to human safety or the equipment.

8. The only liquid used is hermetically sealed in glass, thereby eliminating any leaking, spilling or sloshing when carried on boats or other conveyances.

9. This extinguisher may be placed in any position without deterioration.

10. There are no free ingredients to corrode any metal or mechanical parts, thereby eliminating continual attention and maintenance when extinguisher is not used over long periods of time. 7

11. As this extinguisher is a non-conductor of electricity, as the extinguishing stream is not dense enough'to splatter inflammable liquids and as there are no poisonous fumes resulting from the use thereof, this one contrivance will be of protection against all types of fires where now it is necessary to have a special type for electrical uses, inflammable liquids and for use in confined spaces in other words, this one extinguisher will offer the same protection as is now obtained by three separate types.

12. Further, by using a fire extinguishing chemical in its most concentrated form, that is, as a solid, greater quantities can be carried and handled and greater quantities of carbon dioxide gas will be generated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising a container divided into two compartments, one of said compartments adapted to be filled with a fire extinguishing chemical in a dry dust-like form and the other adapted to receive gas generating means, a discharge duct in communication with the first named compartment, and a moisture absorbing permeable pad interposed between the compartments and permitting escape of gas from the gas generating compartment to the dust containing compartment and from there to escape through the discharge duct.

2. A device of the character described comprising a container divided into two compartments, one of said compartments adapted to be filled with a fire extinguishing chemical in a dry dust-like form and the other adapted to receivegas generating means, a discharge duct in communication with the first named compartment, the division between said compartments comprising an upper and a lower plate disposed between the compartments, said upper plate being perforated at a point adjacent the discharge duct and said lower plate being perforated at a point opposite thereto, and a moisture absorbing permeable pad disposed between the plates and permitting escape of gas from the gas generating compartment into the dust containing compartment and from there to escape through the discharge duct.

3. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical elongated container open at its lower end, said container adapted to be inverted and filled with a fire extinguishing chemical in a dry dust-like form, a discharge pipe extending from the lower end of the container and through the upper end, a second cylindrical shaped elongated container open at its upper end to receive an acid bottle and a chemical which reacts with the acid to form a gas, interengaging screw couplings on each container permitting them to be aligned and connected, moisture absorbing means interposed between the container and separating the chemicals packed in each container, said moisture absorbing means permitting gas to escape from the second named container into the first named container, and means for breaking the acid bottle.

CLARENCE A. CAlWP. 

